Guard for the cutter heads of shapers and the like



June 19, 1928.

w. B. GRANNATT GUARD FOR THE' CUTTER HEADS OF SHAPERS AND THE LIKE Filed June 14, 1927 I. f f M Jail-u INVENTOR. gran n a BY W A ORNEY.

Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES P TENT .oFFics- WILLIAM B. GRANNATT, F.LOS ANGELES, onmronma.

GUARD FOR THE CUTTER nnans or snArERsANn THE LIKE.

Application filed June 14,

This invention relates to guards for the cutter heads of shapers and similar woodworking machines and has for an important object thereof the provision of a slmple and readily constructed device, which may be readily applied to the table and which will prevent accidental engagement with the cutter head. r

A further object of the invention is to it! provide a device of this character wherein the guard is readily adjusted to enable thelr adaptation to cutter heads of different slzes and different vertical adjustments and which may be, if so desired, readily removed from the machine, so that it will not interfere 111 any way with the operation thereof.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view showing a guard constructed in accordance with my invention applied to a shaper, the work being indicated in dotted lines and the direction of movement thereof with relation to the shaper head being indicated by an arrow;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a bar having at one end an extension 11, which is threaded for the reception of a clamping nut 12. The end of the bar 10 is adapted to seat upon the shaper table with the extension 11 directed through an opening 13 formed in the table and the nut 12 seated against the under surface of the table to hold the bar rigidly in rotatably adjusted position. The bar 10 has formed therein a transversely extending slot 14, which opens through opposed walls 15 and 16 of the bar. At the wall 16, the bar has a groove 17 through the base of which the slot 14 opens. The side faces 18 of the bar 10 are provided with longitudinally extending channels 19 disposed adjacent the wall 15.

A slide 20 is provided adapted to engage the face 15 of the bar and having flanges 21 for engaging and fitting against the faces 18 thereof. Adjacent faces of the flanges 21 have ribs 22 which operate in the channels 19 and prevent separation of the slide from the bar. The slide 20 is formed with an opening 23 through which may extend the 1927. Serial No. 198,847.

shank 2 1 of a. bolt, the head 25 of which operates in the groove 17 oftheface 16. At

the outer face of the slide, the stem of the bolt has mounted thereon a thumb "nut 26 which is adapted to operatively engage theslide and clamp it against the bar to hold it ceive the side edges of a relatively stifi spring metal arm 29. This arm has a slot 30 for the passage of the shank 24 of the screwand is engaged by the thumb nut 26. It will be obvious that this thumb nut serves not only to hold'the slide in adjusted positions, but to hold the arm in adjusted'positions upon the slide. The extremity of the arm 29 is arcuately curved, as indicated at 31, to enable the bar to closely approximate the arc of operation of the cutters 32 of a cutter head 33 of the machine. 3

It is pointed out that in feeding work to the cutter heads of shapers, the work is first fed thereto with both hands holding the piece. As soon as an end of the work has projected to the opposite side of the cutter head from the operator, the operator grasps this projected end with his left hand. It is, at this time, that danger to the operator arises for, if the material of thework has a hard spot or possibly a nail or some other obstruction against which the cutters engage, there is a tendency of the work to suddenly shift downwardly, drawing the left hand of the operator into the cutters. The left hand is always engaged with the work from the top thereof, as when engaged in this way, the hand runs less chance of serious damage than where it is engaged from the side. Bearing this in mind and inspecting Figure 1, it will be seen that if the work is suddenly forced downwardly from the cutters or in a direction to that indicated by the arrow A, the hand of the operator which is engaged with the end of the work indicated by X will engage against the arm 29, so that the impetus given to the hand toward the cutters is checked and the hand deflected from the path of the cutters.

It will be obvious that by use of a device constructed in accordance with the foregoing, a guard may be readily applied to the machine and may be very readily adjusted to positions where it will not interfere with the work and will, at the same time, insure Inn against accidental engagement of the hands of the operator with the cutters of the machine.

It will furthern'iore be obvious that the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention and I accordingly do not limit mysell to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a guard for the cutter heads of shapers and the like, a vertical bar having at one end a threaded extension adapted to be directed through an opening formed in the bed of the machine, a slide adjustable longitudinally of said bar, a relatively stiff spring metal arm carried by the slide and having connection therewith whereby it may be adjusted upon its longitudinal axis with relation to the slide. said bar having a longitudinally extending slot opening through opposite side faces thereof, the slide engaging one of said side faces and having a groove within which the arm operates, the arm having a longitudinally extending slot and a bolt extending through the bar, slide and arm and having a thumb nut engaging the arm.

2. In a guard for the cutter heads of shapers and the like, a vertical bar having at one end a threaded extension adapted to be directed through an opening formed in the bed of the machine, a slide adjustable longitudinally of said bar, a relatively stiff spring metal arm carried by the slide and having connection therewith whereby it may be adjusted upon its long tudinal axis with relation to the slide, said bar having a longitudinally extending slot opening through opposite side faces thereof, the slide engaging one of said side faces and having a groove within which the arm operates. the arm having a longitudinally extending slot and a bolt extending through the bar. slide and arm and having a thumb nut engaging the arm, the side walls of the groove of th slide being undercut, the side edges of the arm fitting within said groove.

3. In a guard for the cutter heads of shapers and the like. a vertical bar having at one end a threaded extension adapted to be directed through an opening formed in the bed of the machine. a slide adjustable longitudinally of said ban a relatively stiil' spring metal arm carried by the slide and having connection therewith whereby it may be adjusted upon its longitudinal axis with relation to the slide. said bar having a longitudinally extending slot opening through opposite side faces thereof. the slide engaging one of said side faces and having a groove within which the arm operates. the arm having a longitudimilly extending slot and a bolt extending through the bar. slide and arm and having a thumb nut engaging the arm, the side edges of the slide having flanges engaging the remaining side faces of the bar, the last named side faces of the bar having vertically extending grooves the flanges of the slide having ribs extending into said groove.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

\VILLIAM B. GRANNATT. 

